Courses

The following is a brief overview of Research Methods courses offered by GSEHD at the master's and doctoral levels.

Click onthe faculty member's name for a downloadable syllabus.

Master of Education

EDUC 6114 (formerly 295). Required for all master's students

Doctor of Education

For suggested course sequences based on avoluntary self assessment, please access:

• Doctoral Research Methods Course Sequence Flowchart (PDF)
• GSEHD's New Doctoral Student Self-Assessement
• Sample Generic Course Schedule (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Preparatory Courses (Optional)

EDUC 6116 (formerly 298). Fundamentals of Doctoral-level Quantitative Research. This course will cover the fundamentals of quantitative research in terms of design, measurement, and data analysis. It is intended for entering doctoral students who do not have prior preparation in quantitative social science research methods or may notbe prepared for EDUC 302. This course is also an option for the MA students.

• Choi
• Dannels
• Weiss

A Level Courses (Both are required.)

EDUC 8120 (formerly 302). Group Comparison Designs and Analyses. Designs and analyses to assess differences for more than 2 groups when compared on one dependent variable. Fixed, random, and mixed effects ANOVA and ANCOVA models and multiple comparison tests will be discussed. Nonparametric tests are introduced. SPSS or equivalent will be utilized for analyses. Required of all GSEHD doctoral students. Prerequisite: EDUC 6116 or equivalent.

• Choi
• Dannels
• Weiss

EDUC 8122 (formerly 307). Qualitative Research Methods in Education. A general introduction to several major qualitative research traditions (e.g., biography, grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, and case study). Application of qualitative research design and procedures, including preliminary data collection, analysis, and writing. Popular qualitative data analysis software will be introduced. Required of all GSEHD doctoral students.

• Dannels
• Wright
• Howard

B Level Courses (One is required; some programs require more.)

Quantitative Courses

EDUC 8170 (formerly 310). Educational Measurement. The course will focus on measurement theory, and also introduces factor analysis, item response theory. Covered topics are related to instrument development andvalidation. Interpretation of scale scores and assessment of instrument adequacy will be addressed. Prerequisite: EDUC 8120.

• Choi

EDUC 8171 (formerly 312). Predictive Design & Analyses. Techniques used to assess how the variability in independent variables is related to variability in one dependent variable. The course will begin with simple regression, focus on multiple linear regression, and introduce logistic regression. Appropriate research questions, data interpretation, and design will be discussed. SPSS or equivalent will be utilized. Prerequisite: EDUC 8120.

• Choi
• Weiss

EDU 8172 (formerly 314). Multivariate Analysis in Education. Techniques used when the research questions require one to assess the relationships among multiple independent variables and multiple dependent variables. The course will cover logistic/multinomial regression, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), mediation/moderation effect analysis, discriminant analysis,mixture modeling,andfactor analysis focused on instrument validation. SPSS or equivalent will be utilized. Prerequisite: EDUC 8171.

• Choi

EDUC 8173 (formerly 316). Structural Equation Modeling. Multivariate techniques used when research questions call for an assessment of structural (causal) relations among latent (unobserved) variables with multiple observed indicators: observed and latent variable path analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Latent means analysis and latent growth modeling will be introduced. LISREL or equivalent will be utilized. Prerequisites: EDUC 8171.

• Weiss

Qualitative Courses

EDUC 8140 (formerly 324). Ethnographic Research Methods. Techniques used to examine systematically the contemporary daily life of a given group in its natural setting. It usually focuses on culture--the recurring patterns of thought and social relations. It involves issues of research design and data collection and analysis. Prerequisite: EDUC 8122.

• Wright

EDUC 8142 (formerly 326). PhenomenologicalResearch Methods. Techniques used to delve into and understand subjective perceptions, interpretations, motives, expectations, and imaginations of people. It involves the framing of appropriate research questions, data collection and analysis, and the statement of conclusions. Prerequisite: EDUC 8122.

• Wright

EDUC 8144 (formerly 328). Discourse Analysis. Techniques used to examine people's verbal and nonverbal communication to understand identity, beliefs, intentions, relationships, and culture. Framing appropriate research questions, and both data collection and analysis are covered. Prerequisite: EDUC8122.

Mixed Methods Courses

EDUC 8130 (formerly 330). Survey Research Methods. Techniques used to collect efficiently an array of information from a large number of people through structured interviews, mailed or emailed questionnaires, or Web-based questionnaires. The course begins with defining the research question and design, and covers sampling, survey development, data collection procedures, pretesting, and data handling. Prerequisites: EDUC8120 and EDUC8122.

• Dannel

EDUC 8131 (formerly 332). Case Study Research Methods. Techniques used to examine one or a few complex cases, collecting data from several types of sources and usually by several methods. The course will cover design, data collection, and data analysis/integration. Prerequisite: EDUC 8122.

• Swayze

To request a course waiver/to change your plan of study:

Master Level

In consultation with your program advisor it is possible to request a waiver of the required research methods course. If an equivalent course(s) has been completed at the graduate level, with a grade of B or better, within the past five years, you may submit a request to waive the course to any member of the research methods faculty. With your detailed written request, please provide a copy of the course syllabus that you think duplicates the course to be waived along with a copy of your transcripts showing the date and grade earned (this does not need to be an official transcript).

If your request is approved, you will be relieved of the requirement to take the specific research methods course, but not of the three credit hour requirement. In other words, you will need to substitute another course. The substituted course does not have to be a research course.

Please note, if you are seeking to waive either EDUC 6114 or EDUC 6116, you must provide evidence of both statistics and research design content. This may be accomplished by providing syllabi (and transcripts) for one or more courses.

Doctoral Level

If you believe that your previous course work (as described above) or professional experience would substitute for EDUC 8120 or EDUC 8122, please talk to any one of the research methods faculty for information as to how to proceed. If your request is approved the substituted course must be an advanced research methods course.